Extent of knowledge and adoption of livestock rearing practices by the farmers from South Konkan

Abstract

Majority (75.00 per cent) of the farmers had low knowledge regarding livestock rearing practices. Among the eight practices under housing management practices, all respondents (100.00 per cent) had knowledge about standing space, drainage channel/ gutter, single row housing system and water supply. Data related to health care management practices revealed that 100 per cent of the respondents had knowledge about care of sick animals and vaccination programme. In case of breeding management practices, it is observed that, heat detection in animals, method of breeding, time of artificial insemination, superior stock identification for extensive breeding practices were known to 100.00 per cent of dairy farmers. The result noticed from feed and fodder management practices revealed that, all of the respondents (100.00 per cent) had knowledge about concentrates and dry matter for pregnant animal and hay/ straw shed (Dutch barn). Cent per cent dairy farmers had knowledge about utensils used and their cleaning as well as sanitization, before milking, use of disinfectants for udder and teat cleaning and sign of calving. It was seen from care and management practices immediately after calving that 100.00 per cent dairy farmers had knowledge about watching of cow for placenta expulsion, allowing the calf to suck the colostrum, mucus removal from face and nostrils of calf, well ventilated environment and dry bedding. In case of extent of adoption of livestock rearing practices it was found that majority (49.16 per cent) of the farmers had low extent of adoption, followed by (39.17 per cent) of them show high adoption level, while 7.50 per cent and 4.17 per cent of the livestock owners were having medium and very high adoption level, respectively. In case of livestock rearing practices, full adoption was observed in practices like before milking, use of disinfectants for udder and teat cleaning, watching of cow for placenta expulsion, allowing the calf to suck the colostrum, mucus removal from face and nostrils of calf.